Surface finishing machinery



1943- A. H. D ALL ET AL SURFACE FINISHING MACHINERY Filed Aug. 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR$ ALBERT H- DALL HANS Bans-r SOL. E.\NSTE\N Wm A TTORNEY.

Aug. 17, 1943.

A. H. DALL ET AL SURFACE FINISHING MACHINERY Filed Aug. 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALBERT H. DALL HANS ERNST 30L E\NSTE|N A TTORNEY.

1943- A. H. DALL ET AL 2,327,022

SURFACE FINI SHING MACHINERY Filed Aug. 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INYENTORS ALBERT H. DALL HANS ERNST Set- ElNSTEIN .-\TTORNEY.

mally exert a centralizing action on the piston.

Hydraulic pressure introduceable as through conduit 87b in a manner hereinafter described is coupled with piston head 50.

Means are provided for creating hydraulic pulsations in the line 815. Each of the positive pulsations will tend to urge the associated piston downw rdly s viewed in Figure 5 compressing spring 55. Release of the positive pressure spring 55 will tend to expand shifting of piston and associate slide in a reverse direction while spring 56 provides a cushioning effect, preventing hammering or undue vibration of the parts.

Each of the slides 46 and 4'! is provided with a seat to receive an abradant element, such as 21 and 28. These elements are similar in general form but oppositely disposed so as to provide a substantially V-block eff ct in which their beveled faces 59 and 50 suitably engage the Outer face of the taper roll or work piece 26. Each of the abrasive members is preferably provided with a transverse aperture 6|, communicating through the passage 62 in the hollow piston actuated pin 5Lwith conduit 63 for the cutting fluid so that thi fluid may be delivered byway of the tool to the. work piece substantially at the point of relative engagement, assuring adequate lubrication of the parts and thus proper performance of the abradant action during the finishing operation.

As has been previously referred to, the present machine is intended for the performance of a finalior what is known as a superfinishing operation on tapered or similar work pieces, the rotation of the feed wheel serving to take a work piece from the discharge spout 64 of the automatic hopper mechanism 65 and carry the same into the V formed by the faces 59 and 60.

This hopper mechanism does not of itself form any part of the present invention but may, for example, be of the type shown in United States Patent No. 1,814,279. Due to the V formation of throat receiving the work piece it is unnecessary to employ additional work rest or other work supporting mechanisms. The continued rotation of the feed wheel will impart a slow longitudinal movement of the work past the several abradin members which may be of the same grit and grade, or progressively finer as the work approaches the discharge portion of the machine. At the same time, the rolling engagement between the surface of the feed wheel and the inner engaging portion of the work on account of the pressure of the work thereagainst through the action of springs 31 on the abrading members causes the feed wheel frictionally to engage and positively rotate the work at a uniform rate. It will thus be seen that the work is given a rotative as well as axial advancing movement with respect to the abrading members, while these members, in turn, are given a relatively high speed reciprocating movement.

This principle of operation for producing an ultimate highly accurate finish on hardened steel or other work pieces is well understood in that it is essential for satisfactory results that a multiplicity of relative movements be effected between the surface being operated upon and the abrading members at a speed adequate to effect removal of any high points or minute protuberances on the work resultant from previous machining operations and that at the same time the resultant combined speed of movement be at a sufficiently slow rate so that a true cold cutting is effected, preventing generation of heat tending to weld together the minute metallic particles removed in a manner to produce built-up edge or other effects on the abrading members which will cause scratching of the work.

which will limit the cutting action of the abrading elements as the surface tends to be reduced to a plane and prevent stock removal or scratch formation below that plane.

One type of actuating mechanism particularly adaptable for utilization in conjunction with the form of the invention shown is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 6. As there shown, there is provided a tank or reservoir 66 for hydraulic medium from which fluid is withdrawn by a pump 61 and discharged under pressure through conduit 68, a relief valve 69 limiting the pressure and permitting escape of unused volume. of the medium.

Line 58 is coupled with distributor 10 from which a multiplicity of conduits H, Ha, llb, He, 1 Id and -'He extend to the cylinders 12 of the hydraulic motor 13. The cylinders have the pistons 14 provided with rollers 15 reacting on cam 16 carried by the rotor 11 of the hydraulic motor. An exhaust passage 18 in the distributor 10 is coupled through groove I9 with conduit 80. The rotor TI is grooved in the conventional manner alternately to connect the several leads H with pressure conduit 68 and exhaust conduit 18 so that the motor will be suitably driven by pump 61.

The rotary shaft 11 extends through the pump casing sections 8I82 where it is provided with suitably shaped cams 83-84 for actuation of rollers 85 on the pump pistons 85. The several chambers for these pistons are individually coupled as by conduit 81 with an abrasive head 43.

As shown in the drawings the conduit 81 has a branch 81a coupled to the lower piston of the head and a second branch 81?) oppositely coupled to the upper piston. By this arrangement at each compression stroke the fluid contained in the associate pump chamber is forced into the right hand end of one abrading element control cylinder and the left hand end of the associate abrading element control cylinder so that their pistons and thus the abrading elements are simultaneously equally but oppositely pressure actuated.

Correspondingly, as the roller 85 moves to the low point of cam 83 the expansion of springs 55 yieldingly reversely oppositely shift the tworelated abrading elements. By this method of operation oppositely acting abrading strokes are performed on the work piece causing an equalization of any out pressures which might otherwise tend to effect axial movement of the work in one or the other direction and at the same time when effected at relatively high speeds the-equal and opposite movement of the pair of abrading elements in the head tend to balance out any tendency to produce undesirable vibrations in the machine which might otherwise impair the accuracy of resultant finish produced.

It will be noted that the exhaust conduit rom; e motor. o a tuation of: the; abradaut lement ossil tioa. nuiiirshasbe n. shown as coup ed: o. ne. side; of.- a second hydraulic. motor; which is coupled with, the feed; or; regulatin wheel n for efiecting-constantand uniform rotation-.of this wheel and by;themanner cfseries ceun naot the par ssat a t directly opor- V tional to the rate of vibration of the abrading ele-.

ments. I

The return conduit 8 9 from the pump 88 extends through arate determining throttle andv low. pressure maintenance valve 9|: to reservoir; Additionally coupled with this.- reservoir is a suctionpump 92 which Iorces; the hydraulic'medium through asuitable filter 93:;into conduits at and so. A-pressure controlled valve 95 controls the.- flow, of medium through conduit: 91' to the. indi-. vidual conduits 1 98.; coupled with respective conduits. intheheadsfl ,for projecting the cuttingmedium-to the face of the abrading elements. Individual valves 89 may be provided for control.- linsthe flow of medium to .the individual points oimtilization. Conduit 95; has multiple branches I08. each controlled by. a. check valve I] which are. in turn coupled by the conduits 02 with the discharge conduitslx'bof. theabrading element vibrating motors. The check valves in theseelines operate in a manner to make the lines completely closed during the compression strokes of thepistons 86 ,but permit their. opening. for-filler replacement purposes duringthesuction stroke. of the respective pistons to compensate for any possible leakages.

The structure. and controls just describedv are capable of utilization in. various manners for satisfactory accomplishment of thedesired finishing operation.

In Figures 1 and 2--the feed or-regulating wheel 23 has been shown as disposed in, a horizontal position with opposed-abrading elements at the front and rear of the machineso. that two lineal pathson the wheel are: effective at one time .for transfer. of theworkpiece from. the receiving or hopper end of. the machine. to the discharge end. From the foregoingit will be noted that there has been provided an extremely efficient machine for, performanceof afinishing operation. of high accuracy simultaneously on a multiplicity of work pieces of frustroeconical or like form in which a feeding and regulating wheel having a helical path or transverse configuration corresponding to. the general form of. work piece may be coupled satisfactorily for controlled presentation of a. multiple series of work pieces to-high speed. oscillating-abrading elements.

It will further be-notedthat there hasbeen' providedpa rnechanism for effecting balanced. or equal opposite relative movements, of the abrad-' in; elements, creating a multiplebreak-up effect of abrading pathwith respect to the work and at the same time counterbalancing the thrust .of the abrading elements against thework-in amanner tending both tominimize general vibratory positioned abrading elements are ernployedl.tlmilt.

hese. elementsare. of; size; to overlap-aplurality of coils-or Windingsof: the-helical; path onthe reed; wheel for continuous-engagement with: an individual work piece as his-advanced: alonglthe path and simultaneous engagement. with;a..plu-

rality. of consecutive work pieces; and. that in:

addition, the juxtaposition membersare 50.711187 posed that one will -,firmly engascand retain an individualwork piece before. it has left-L the; grip. of the other so that. the. entire seriesmay readily flow through the machine and all liability of cantinggor tlltingcf individual work pieces is' pre-.

vented,

From the foregoing it'will Joe; seenzthatwe. have provided an improved. method: of; producing. an extremely accurate or superfinished;surfa.ce;.on frustroeconical orv taper rolls for anti-friction hearings or the like articles consisting in; auto-l matically positioning the workpiece and-insults ably supporting it. for non-axial. rotation: in amanner tangentially. to present: one or: more radial planes of the work piece to. the; action ofa rapidly vibrating abrading element. while fric.-. tionally controlling the rotation ofuthe work/withrespect to saidelementandyieldingly effecting. the. operativeengagement of the abaading frictionalrotating elements with theinterposod work piece.

What is claimed is 2. I

1. A machine of. -the.chnracter described: i111 eluding a contoured wheel having-aheiicalpath formed therein for receptionof work pieces, the: contour of the path heingsuch as to. presentt'the outer face of a series of. work: pieces in :substane tially continuous line, meansprovidingv divergent Work engaging surfaces in the. form. of. a-.;,V.-'block' for,engagementwith;.saicl;outer. surface of the work pieces cne of ,saideworkengaging surfaces being formed oiabrasive material to provide'ani abrading member, means. for. resiliently main: taining the abracling, member in engagement with the work pieces,.means for eifectingsrota: tion of thewheel to successively advance the. series. of work pieces past the nzember,.means for efiecting high speed. oscillation of the mem her during such traversing movement, means fon synchronizing the relativerate of. said; traversing and. oscillatory movements,.and for pro-1 portionately; varying the rates of actuation ofv the feeding wheel and abrading member. 7

1 .2. A machine of the character described ineluding a feed wheel having acontoured helical- 1y wound path formed. on the periphery thereof. for reception of aseries of contoured: work pieces, a helical work feeding rib. intervening the con volutions of the path and effective on rotation of the wheel for. imparting feeding movementto said work pieces, an abrading member disposed in opposition to the feed wheel and comprising a pair of beveled elements; together providing a work receiving V supportingand retaining: the work within the contoured pathon the feed wheel, means foreii'ecting'rotation of thefeed wheel to traverse work .pieces in the path past; the abrading element,-means for effecting oppo-i sitcly phased high speed vibration of the. abrading elements in engagement with the individual; work piece whereby said abrading elements have equal and opposite reactions on the workpiece during the feeding movement thereof, intercoupled' drive means for maintaining synchronized;

relationship between the rate of rotation of the feed wheel and the rates. of"oscillationof ,the ab-rading members, and means for proportionate-v 1y varying both of said rates,

3. A machine of the character described including a controlling member in the form of a wheel having a helical transversely contoured work receiving path, means for delivering work pieces into said path at a plurality of stations circumferentially of the wheel to form two lines of work pieces extending parallel to the wheel, a series of abrading elements for each line of work having divergent faces providing work receiving troughs, means to rotate the wheel to effect rotation of the work pieces and progression thereof along said troughs, and means for effecting individual oscillations of the abrading elements with respect to the progressing work pieces.

4. A machine for reducing the irregularities resulting from previous machining operations on a work piece to produce a substantially plane surface including an element in the form of a wheel having an advancing helical path formed circumferentially thereon, complementary in cross section to the shape of the work pieces'to be operated upon and angularly disposed in an axial direction whereby the projecting surfaces of a series of work pieces will be lineally aligned and maintained in definite axially spaced relation, means for effecting rotation of the wheel to impart an advancing rotary movement to said work pieces, a plurality of aligned abrasive elements disposed for sequential engagement with the axially advanceable work pieces, said abrasive elements being of length to overlap adjacent axially spaced work pieces, means to yieldingly urge said elements into engagement with the work pieces, and means individual to the respective abrading elements for imparting independent vibratory movements thereto.

5. A machine for reducing the irregularities resulting from previous machining operations on a work piece to produce a substantially plane surface including an element in the form of a wheel having an advancing helical path formed circumferentially thereon, complementary in cross section to the shape of the work pieces to be operated upon and angularly disposed in an axial direction whereby the projecting surfaces of a series of work pieces will be lineally aligned and maintained in definite axially spaced relation, means for effecting rotation of the wheel to impart an advancing rotary movement to said Work pieces, a plurality of aligned abrasive ele-- ments disposed for sequential engagement with the axially advanceable work pieces, said abrasive elements being of length to overlap adjacent axially spaced work pieces, means to yieldingly urge said elements into engagement with the work pieces, means individual to the respective abrading elements for imparting independent vibratory movements thereto, and means for proportionately varying the operating speeds of rotation and vibration as respects the wheel and abrading elements.

6. A machine for reducing the irregularities resulting from previous machining operations on' a work piece to produce a substantially plane surface, including an element in the form of a wheel having an advancing helical path formed sive elements disposed for sequential engagement with the axially advanceable work pieces, the elements of each set being relatively movable and of length to overlap adjacent axially spaced work pieces, means to yieldingly urge said elements into engagement with the work pieces, and means individual to the respective abrading elements of each set forimparting independent oppositely phased vibratory movements thereto.

7. A machine for'reducing the irregularities resulting from previous machining operations on a work piece to produce a substantially plane surface including an element in the form of a wheel having an advancing helical path formed circumferentiallythereon, complementary in cross section to the shape of the work pieces to be operated upon and angularly disposed in an axial direction whereby theprojecting surfaces of a series of work pieces will be lineally aligned and maintained in definite axially spaced relation, means for effecting rotation of the wheel to impart an advancing rotary movement to said work pieces, a plurality of sets of aligned abrasive elements disposed for sequential engagement with the axially advanceable work pieces, the elements of each set being relatively movable and of length to overlap adjacent axially spaced work pieces, means to yieldingly urge said elements into. engagement with the work pieces, means individual to the. respective abrading elements of each set for imparting independent oppositely phased vibratory movements thereto, and means for proportionately varying the speed of rotation of the wheel and the rate of vibration of the abrading elements.

8. A machine of the character described including a contoured wheel having a helical path formed therein for reception of work pieces, the contour of the path being such as to present the outer face of a series of work pieces in a substantially continuous line, a series of abrading units closely spaced along said line, each unit comprising means for providing a pair of work engaging surfaces diverging on opposite sides of said line to form a work receiving trough, one of said surfaces consisting of an abrasive element, resilient means for pressing said surfaces against the work to urge the same in driving engagement with the wheel, means to effect relative high speed reciprocation of the abrasive elements, and means to effect rotation of the wheel to rotate and feed the work sequentially past said elements.

9. A machine of the character described including a contoured wheel having a helical path formed therein for reception of work pieces, the contour of the path being such as to present the outer face of. a series ofwork pieces in a sub-- stantially continuous line, a series of abrading units closely spaced along said line, each unit comprising a pair of abrasive blocks having work engaging surfaces diverging on opposite sides of said line to form a work receiving trough, resilient means acting on said blocks to hold the work against the wheel, means to effect opposite phased high speed reciprocation of each pair of abrasive blocks, and means to effect rotation of the wheel to rotate and feed the work sequentially past said abrasive blocks.

10. A machine of the character described including a contoured wheel having a helical path formed therein for reception of work pieces, the contour of the path being such as to present the outer face of a series of workpieces in a substantially continuous line, a series of abrading ments having work engaging surfaces diverging on opposite sides of said line, resiliently operable means for urgii g said elements into supporting and operative engagement with the Work, individual hydraulic motors for actuation of the respective elements, a source of pulsating hydraulic pressure for said motors, means connecting the motors of a pair in opposite phased relation to said source, and means to effect rotation of the wheel to feed the work sequentially past said members,

11. A machine of the character described including a contoured wheel having a helical path formed therein for reception of work pieces, means to support Work pieces in said path in a substantially continuous line including a series of aligned abrading units, each unit having a pair of abrasive members, the work engaging surfaces of which diverge on opposite sides of a Work piece, resiliently operable means effective on said members for urging the Work into operative engagement with said wheel to a suificient extent to cause rotation of the work, individual fluid operable motors for reciprocating each member, a source of fluid pressure for said motors, a common pulsator for transmitting pulsations through said fluid to effect vibration of said motors, and means to effect rotation of the wheel to feed the work sequentially past said members.

12. A machine of the character described including a contoured wheel having a helical path formed therein for reception of work pieces, means for supporting a first series of work pieces in a substantially continuous line parallel to the axis of the wheel, means for supporting a second series of Work pieces in a substantially continuous line on the opposite side of v said wheel, a series of abrading units for each line of work pieces, each unit comprising a pair of abrasive elements to hold the line of work pieces in engagement with said wheel, individual fluid operable means for reciprocating the abrading elements of each unit, a common source of fluid pressure, individual pulsators for the respective series of abrading units and connected in parallel therewith, a common actuator for said pulsators, and means to effect rotation of the wheel to feed the rows of work simultaneously and sequentially past the respective series of units.

13. A machine of the character described including a feed wheel having a contoured helically wound path formed on the periphery thereof for reception of a series of contoured work pieces,

a helical work feeding rib intervening the convolutions of the path and effective on rotation of the wheel for imparting feeding movement to said work pieces, means extending longitudinally of the wheel to form a work receiving trough including a series of abrading units, each unit having a pair of diverging work engaging members for holding the work in engagement with the wheel, means to feed work pieces to one end of said trough, means for effectingrotation of the feed wheel to traverse work pieces through said trough and past the abrading elements, and means for effecting oppositely phased high speed vibration of each pair of abrading elements whereby said abradlng elements have equal and opposite reactions on the work piece during the feeding movement thereof.

ALBERT H. DALL.

HANS ERNST. SOL EINSTEIN. 

